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(No Model.)

J. T. GRAY.

HEEL FORBOOTS 0R SHOES. No. 358,194. Patented Feb. 22, 1887.

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INVENTOR L BY ATTORNEYS.

N. r-nsns. Phnlo'Lilhographer. Washington. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN THOMAS GRAY, OF GRAY, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

HEEL FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,194, dated February 22, 1887.

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN THOMAS GRAY, of Gray, in the county of Stntsman and Territory of Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Boot and Shoe Heel, of' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to the heels of boots and shoes, and has for its object to provide a comparatively-inexpensive heel so made and fitted with an adjustable metallic wear-plate that uneven wear of the heel or sole of the boot or shoe will be prevented and the durability of the footwear will be materially increased.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts of the boot and shoe heel, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a .sideelevation of a boot provided with my improved heel. Fig; 2 is a back View of part of the quarter and heel of the boot, with the heel partly broken away and in section transversely on the line ac m, Fig. 1, and drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the boot-heel and adjacent parts, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the metallic heel-plate as viewed from theupper side.

The main body A of the heel of a boot or shoe made in accordance with my invention is cut away to form a recess at its lower back portion, and whereby a bottom lift or projection, a, is left at the forward part of the heel, and the rear edge of the lift a is concaved from its rear extremities, a a, to formwith the back part of the heel a true circular outline or contour. In this rounded recessed part of the body of the heel there is formed an annular recess or groove, B, into which fits an upwardly -projecting flange, c, on an annular metal plate, 0, which has a downwardly-projecting flange, c, which at its outer face stands about flush with the round back portion of the heel and also fits against the rear concavity, (0 of the front projecting lift or portion, a, of the heel, with the bottom edge of which the flange c of the heel-plate 0 stands about flush.

Within the heel-plate 0 there is fitted a leather lift or disk, D, the edge or periphery of which fits quite snugly within the flange 0 of the plate 0, and the inner face of which disk D lies flat against the body portion of the plate, and whereby nails or screws d, driven into the body A of the heel through the disk D, will hold both the disk and the heel-plate securely thereto, and will allow the heel-plate O to be rotated by applying a knife or hook or suitable tool of any kind within any one of a series of notches, 0 made in the flange c of the heel-plate.

In the flangec of the metallic plate 0 there. 6

are formed a series of grooves, providing between them a series of spurs or teeth, a, which may be brought to the outer side portion of the heel by turning the plate 0, and, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, to prevent slipping 0 of the wearer of the boot or shoe on icy pavements or roads.

It will be noticed that the flange c of the metallic heel-plate O is exposed at the edge of the heel from the points a a at opposite sides 5 of the heel clear around the back of the heel, and consequently re-enforces the edge or margin of the entire back of the heel, to prevent quick wear of the heel, and as one portion of the heel-plate O--usually the part exposed at the outer side part of the heel-wears a little, the plate 0 may be turned around more or less to present a new edgesurface of its flange c, as required; hence the heel of the boot or shoe will always be kept comparatively true and flat, to prevent running over of the foot of the wearer at the counter of the boot 0r shoe and insure an even wear of the sole of the boot or shoe, and consequently promote its durability.

. 9 It is obvious that as the flange c of the heelplate 0 fits quite snugly between the concaved edge a of the raised part a of the body of the heel and the periphery of the inner stationary heel-plate D the friction induced by this inter- 9 5 Furthermore, this 103 and deadens very largely the sharp click or noise incident to contact with pavements or walks of metallic wear-plates of this character,

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A boot or shoe heel comprising a main body portion, A, having a. front lift or projection, a, concaved at a", whereby a recess is formed at the rear bottom part of the heel, and the heel-body provided with an annular groove, B, in its rear recessed portion, a metallic wearplate, 0, provided with a flange, c, entering said groove B, and a downwardlyprojecting wear-receiving flange, c, and a retaining lift or plate, D, placed within and upon'the plate 0 and secured to the recessed part of the body of the heel, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with the body A of a boot or shoe heel provided with a front lift or projection, a, concaved at a of an annular c and clamping said flange against the concaved edge a of the part a of the heel, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

3. lhe combination, with the body A of a boot or shoe heel provided with a front lift or projection, a, concaved at a of an annular metal plate provided with a wear-receiving flange, c, and a bottomlift or plate, D, secured to the body of the heel Within said flange c, and said flange provided with a series of spurs or teeth, 0", substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

4-. A metal wear plate for boot or shoe heels, comprising an annular plate, 0, provided with an upwardly-projecting flange, 0, adapted to a groove in the heel, and a down wardly-projecting flange, c, to take the wear, 1 and said flange 0 provided with one or more scribed.

I JOHN THOMAS GRAY. Witnesses:

l OWEN M. J ones. 1 FRED. J. ALLGEo.

notches, 11*, substantially as shown and de- 5 

